In the United States, the title of first gentleman may be accorded to a man who is married to the head of state of a state government, analogously to the unofficial use of first lady for the wife or hostess of a head of state, including the wife of the president of the United States. Doug Emhoff became the first second gentleman of the United States when his wife Kamala Harris became vice president in 2021.
The first man to formally serve as first gentleman was James E. Ferguson in 1925, a former governor of Texas who had been impeached and removed from office due to corruption charges in 1917, and whose wife Miriam A. Ferguson later won the office. The first man to serve as first gentleman without having previously served as governor was Thomas Grasso in 1975, husband of Connecticut governor Ella T. Grasso. In 2019, Colorado governor Jared Polis' husband Marlon Reis (who at the time was his partner), became the first same-sex partner to receive the title of First Gentleman (in addition to being the first same-sex partner of a sitting governor).
Even though Arizona has had the most female governors of any U.S. state with five, only three of these governors were married to a first gentleman while in office. Six states have had more than one first gentleman: New Hampshire with four, Arizona and Kansas with three each, and Connecticut, Michigan, and Oregon, with two each respectively.
First gentlemen by state State First gentleman Started role Governor George Wallace 1967 Lurleen Wallace Todd Palin 2006 Sarah Palin Terry Hull 1997 Jane Dee Hull John Brewer 2009 Jan Brewer Patrick Goodman* 2023 Katie Hobbs Bryan Sanders 2023 Sarah Huckabee Sanders Marlon Reis 2019 Jared Polis Thomas Grasso 1975 Ella T. Grasso Lou Rell 2004 Jodi Rell Dana Long 2025 Bethany Hall-Long Kevin Reynolds 2017 Kim Reynolds Spencer Finney Jr. 1991 Joan Finney K. Gary Sebelius 2003 Kathleen Sebelius Ted Daughety 2019 Laura Kelly Bill Collins 1983 Martha Layne Collins Raymond Blanco 2004 Kathleen Blanco Chuck Hunt 2001 Jane Swift (acting) Daniel Mulhern 2003 Jennifer Granholm Marc Mallory 2019 Gretchen Whitmer Harry Martz 2001 Judy Martz Bill Orr 1987 Kay A. Orr Albert L. Roy 1982 Vesta M. Roy (acting) Bill Shaheen 1997 Jeanne Shaheen Thomas Hassan 2013 Maggie Hassan Joseph Daley* 2025 Kelly Ayotte John Whitman 1994 Christine Todd Whitman Jason Hedberg* 2026 Mikie Sherrill Chuck Franco 2011 Susana Martinez Manuel Cordova* 2022 Michelle Lujan Grisham William J. Hochul Jr.* 2021 Kathy Hochul Bob Eaves 2009 Bev Perdue Jeff Hollister 1998 Nancy Hollister Wade Christensen 2011 Mary Fallin Frank L. Roberts 1991 Barbara Roberts Dan Little 2015 Kate Brown Andrew Moffit 2015 Gina Raimondo Michael Haley 2011 Nikki Haley Bryon Noem 2019 Kristi Noem James E. Ferguson 1925 Miriam A. Ferguson Myron Walker 2003 Olene Walker Arthur Kunin 1985 Madeleine Kunin Adam Spanberger* 2026 Abigail Spanberger Michael Gregoire 2005 Christine Gregoire
Currently serving
First gentlemen by U.S. territory Territory First gentleman Started role Governor/Mayor Jeffrey Cook 2019 Lou Leon GuerreroAdolfo KransRamón Cantero Frau20012003Sila María CalderónJorge Díaz Reverón2019Wanda Vázquez Garced José Yovin Vargas*2025Jenniffer González-Colón James R. Kelly 1991 Sharon Pratt Kelly
Currently serving
See also List of current United States first spouses List of female governors in the United States "Oh, Jeez" (2016), the seventh episode in the twentieth season of South Park, previously called "The Very First Gentleman".
References